Various types of equipment can be deployed in a wellbore to perform desired tasks, including well logging, fluid production, fluid injection, and other tasks. Examples of equipment include tubing, pipes, valves, motors, pumps, and so forth.
In the relatively harsh environments that are typically present in a wellbore, equipment positioned in the wellbore may wear out or fail over time. When equipment fails or exhibits reduced performance, an expensive intervention operation typically has to be performed, in which the failed equipment is extracted from the wellbore, and either repaired or replaced. Having to extract well equipment from a wellbore means that the wellbore may have to be shut in while the repair or replacement process proceeds. Shutting in a wellbore may cause fluid production or other operations to stop, which can result in reduced revenue. Also, having to perform an intervention operation means that service personnel have to be sent out to the well site, which can also be costly.